


The Hero, The Emperor and The Assassin

by Aaahlex



Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Genre: Bad English, Crack Treated Seriously, Deviates From Canon, Dialogue Heavy, Dorks in Love, Fluff, I mean, M/M, Multi, My First Fanfic, Non-binary character, Other, Polyamorous Character, Polyamory, Self-Indulgent, Tags May Change, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, because if there is dwarwes who are actually elves, its not my first language have mercy, lucien do not know how to handle feelings, martin was a sanguinist, not a single monogamous bone in my boy, probably oot, sorry - Freeform, then i can have a nb hok, there is no way he is not poly
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-16
Updated: 2018-10-18
Packaged: 2019-08-03 04:40:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16319348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aaahlex/pseuds/Aaahlex
Summary: In which no one is as subtil and discrete as they think they areI needed polyam fluff to get over canon, so now you have a very, very self-indulgent fic. Be warned. (also I probably need another title) (and english lessons)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> please have mercy on me

“Martin I – I can’t – I mean, I want to but I – argh !”

Alexei threw their hands up in frustration. Why could they not just kiss him ? Why did they keep thinking at Lucien at the same time ? And why did they think of Martin whenever Lucien was near them ? Couldn’t they just love one of them ? But no, of course they had to fall in love with both of them, Mara forbids they do something normally.

Martin was frowning at his would-be lover, slightly worried. One second they were on his bed, holding hands and starring deep into each other eyes, the next Alexei was tearing at their hair, visibly torn up by something – but what ?

“Alexei ? Are- are you alright ?” Doubt was starting to creep down his spine “Did I do something wrong ?”

It probably was not the good thing to ask, since panic flashed through the short Imperial’s eyes.

“Wha- no ! No, of course not, why would think- ugh.” They sighed in frustration before starting talking again “It’s me the problem, I just-”

“You are never a problem, beloved,” he interrupted softly. A faint blush appeared on Alexei’s cheeks. Gods, if he started giving them pet-names, they might just kiss him here and there – but how would Lucien – they really needed to get a hold of themselves.

“I know, I did not meant it like that. It’s just I, er...” Martin’s hand pressed their lightly, encouraging them to continue. “I love you, I really do but...”

“But ?” he repeated, his voice barely breaking, unlike his heart who felt like it was going to break. Did he go too fast ? Should he have waited a bit longer before declaring his feelings for them ? Oh, what if they were worried about Jauffre’s and the other Blades’ reaction ? 

Alexei’s brisk answer put a stop to his interrogations.

“ButIalsolovesomeoneelseandhisnameisLucienbutIloveyoutooatthesametimeandIdon’tknowwhattodo !”

He blinked.

“...What ?”

Alexei took a deep breath and brace themselves for the inevitable rejection because who would accept to share their loved one with a stranger, an assassin furthermore ?

“There is someone else I love, the same way I love you, and I just – I just cannot choose one of you over the other and – and I understand if you want to, er, why – why are laughing ?”

They starred confused (and a bit hurt) at their lover, who was quite literally laughing his nerves out. Martin took a solid minute before calming himself and eventually answering.

“Sorry, it’s just – you have no idea, do you ?”

This time, it was their turn to blink.

“No idea of what ?”

Martin shook the last of his hilarity off, although he still had the shadow of a smile hanging on his lips.

“I was not always a priest of Akatosh, you know.”

“Well, you said you used to be a mage, but I don’t see what it has to do with us.”

They were definitely intrigued now, even they were still a bit worried. Martin was definitely smiling, although looking somewhat remorseful, as he revealed his darkest secret.

“I was a sanguinist.”

Alexei’s mouth went hanging in shock.

“You were a what ?!”

Martin’s devious smile only grew at their expression. He had to bite his lips so he would not burst out laughing again.

“More precisely, I was Sanghin’s Champion.” His lover looked like their eyes might pop out of their face. The ex-priest continued, barely containing his laughter. “So you can probably guess that I am not exactly monogamous.”

Alexei starred at him and, at first very softly but growing progressively louder, started chuckling. It was all it took for Martin to lose his composure and they were soon both holding their ribs as laughter took them both.

“Oh… Oh Mara-” they started, trying desperately to catch their breath.

“I don’t think Mara is the one you should be invoking,” Martin interrupted. Alexei shook their head, grinning.

“By the gods,” they corrected, “why would you -”

Martin simply shrugged, still giggling.

“He knows how to party, and he liked my style.” He suddenly stopped laughing, as realization hit him. “He probably liked the idea to have a Septim as his Champion, too.”

Alexei calmed down too, although it took them half a minute before their lungs stopped hurting.

“That’s likely.” They hesitated a bit, then asked : “Does… anyone know ?”

He shook his head, his face somber.

“Apart from maybe Jauffre, I don’t think anyone does. As for my friends… we did an experiment on the Rose, Sanghin’s artifact, that wrong and...” his voice broke as he lowered his eyes. “They’re all gone.”

Alexei reached for his arm and said softly :

“I’m sorry.”

Martin looked at them, a sad smile on his lips.

“It’s okay, it was a long time ago. We weren’t even close anyway. I mourned them, of course, but besides pushing me to become a priest to atone, their death did not mark me more than that.”

The short Imperial shook their head in disbelief.

“If it pushed you to abandon a life of lust and pleasure, I am pretty sure their loss left its mark.”

They both stayed silent a few minutes after that, both not really knowing what to say. It was Alexei who eventually spoke again.

“So, I am really happy that you trust me with this, but what does it means for us ?”

“Well,” Martin started, smiling once again, “First I would like to meet this...”

“Lucien, his name is Lucien Lachance.”

The ex-priest nodded.

“I would like to meet him. If we’re going to share, I would rather be sure that he treats you well.”

Horror dawned on Alexei’s face as they realized something.

“Oh Sithis, I need to talk to him very soon. He confessed that he loves me yesterday, but I panicked and ran away here.”

“Oh my… How bad is it ?”

They took their head in their hands.

“I left him in the middle of the meal he made us. He even brought vine !”

Martin chuckled.

“My dear, you are officially an idiot.”

They groaned.

“Now I have to find him, and excuse myself. Gods, why am I like this ?”

“It’s part of your charm.”

Both of their heads snapped towards the window, where a very proud of himself Lucien Lachance seated, his best shit-eating grin flashing at them.

“Lucien, what the fu-”

“I climbed.”

“The bloody mountain ?!”

The assassin simply raised an eyebrow.

“If you keep getting louder, your fellow Blades might decide to investigate.”

Alexei looked like they were about to scream in frustration, so Martin, who watched the entire exchange with at first disbelief then amusement, decided to interfere before it got out of hands :

“I take it you are Alexei’s other one.”

Lucien turned to him, amused smile on his lips.

“And I take it you are Uriel Septim’s bastard.” His smile suddenly disappeared as he realized what he just said. “That... came out as wrong, hasn’t it ?”

Martin, who was about to throw hands at the now very embarrassed assassin, starred at him in disbelief for a moment while his lover was facepalming as hard as they could.

“Are you serious ?” he asked, not knowing if he was supposed to be angry or laughing.

“Lucien, you awkward potato of a man !” suddenly exclaimed Alexei, throwing their arms in the air, “you have even less idea how to socialize than me ! No wonder you live in seclusion in some isolated fort instead of the Sanctuary with the rest of us.”

“Excuse you,” retorted the Speaker “I am not who ran away without explaining anything in the middle of the night !”

“Wait, you had dinner in the middle of the night ?!” 

Martin was now very confused and somewhat worried. The assassin simply shrugged.

“My internal clock stopped working a long time ago.”

The priest turned to Alexei, hoping that they would have more sense than their companion. He was very disappointed.

“Yeah, same. I mean, most of the time we work at night so...”

Martin, now seriously concerned about the both of them, sighed loudly.

“How are either of you actually functioning ?”

“Your father found me in prison. I am pretty sure I am the textbook definition of dysfunctional.”

“About that...” Lucien jumped off the window and into the room. “You really could have told me you were the bloody Hero of Kvatch.”

“Hey, I have the right to keep some secrets. Besides, I just got out of prison when you recruited me.”

“Wait, so the necklace you were holding on like your life depended on it was...”

“The Amulet of Kings, yes.”

“No wonder you were so tense.”

Alexei rolled their eyes in what could pass as exasperation but a faint smirk betrayed their actual feelings.

“Well, maybe it was also because a bloody Dark Brotherhood assassin entered my room in the middle of the night. Anyone in their right mind would have freaked out. You are probably lucky that I am insane.”

“You threw a knife to my face.”

“My point still stand.”

Martin chuckled.

“And here I thought that our meeting was an interesting one.”

“Oh come on, it was not that bad.”

“You ran past the Oblivion Gate and waltz into the church, before blabbering nonsense about me being the son of the Emperor, and when I told you I would not leave until the Gate was dealt with, you decided that the best course of action was to go inside said Gate.”

Lucien shook his head, barely believing what he was hearing.

“How is that less interesting than a simple business meeting ? And really Alexei, could you not have simply waited for the guard to close it ?”

Martin silently mouthed “business meeting” while his quite embarrassed companion protested :

“I panicked !”

“So your logical conclusion was to jump into the Daedra-spilling abomination ? My dear, I did not think you were being literal when you said you were insane.”

“Strong words coming from someone who climbed a mountain just to go see their protegee.”

This answer got them a pillow in the face from the normally restrained assassin, to Martin’s hilarity.

“Does all your discussions end this way ?”

“Alexei usually runs away first,” answered Lucien.

“Hey !” they protested. “It happened once.” A malicious smile appeared on their lips. “Besides, must I remind you that the first time we met, you ended the discussion by turning invisible and jumping out of the window ?”

“After you threw the dagger I gave you at me.”

“Oh come on, are you still bitter about that ? It’s not like either of us are unfamiliar with murder anyway.”

The ex-priest shook his head in disbelief.

“How did I end up with two murder-happy felons in my bedroom I wonder.”

“You want to kiss said murder-happy felons,” shot back Alexei before throwing a quick glance at their Speaker and adding : “Well, one of them anyway.”

He put his hand over his heart and made an offended noise.

“Excuse you, I’ll have you know that I am extremely kissable.”

Martin chuckled before yawning and interjected :

“Well, this really entertaining and I am sincerely enjoying the discussion but it is two in the morning and I really do not want to explain to Jauffre why I stayed up all time.”

Alexei winced.

“I agree with you, this would be really awkward.” They groaned. “And I just remembered I have a training with Baurus in the morning. Ugh.”

Lucien smiled at their expression, then got up and walked to the window.

“Well then, I wish you a very goodnight. I will see you tomorrow night.”

Then he used an invisibility spell and vanished, the window closing being the only visible sign he left. Martin and Alexei stared at it for a moment.

“… He is kind of… dramatic, isn’t he ?”

The Blade shrugged.

“He fell in love with me, of course he is.” They stood up and stretched before bowing in front of the future Emperor, illustrating their point.

“I wish you a goodnight, your Eminence.”

Martin groaned.

“Please don’t call me that, I am still not use to all this.”

Alexei’s soft laughter was their only answer as they sneaked out of his room.


	2. Chapter 2

“Where do you even find all that wine ?” asked a slightly tipsy Martin, starring at his drink.

“And must you bring a bottle every night ?” continued a very drunk Alexei. “Not that I am complaini– complai– comp-, ugh, not happy but...”

“I have contacts and intend to use them,” simply answered Lucien, the only one still at his first glass of wine. “Besides it would not make a good date without drinks.” 

He stared a bit judgmentally at the Blade, completely limp on Martin’s bed with a half-drank glass in their hand, and added :

“And perhaps if you did not drink all of them, I would not have to find a new one every night. Seriously, you drank half of this one on your own.”

“The only dates you’ve ever been always ended up with someone dead,” remarked Alexei. “I know it, Vicente told me.”

The assassin huffed indignantly.

“This vampire will be the death of me.” He suddenly reached out for the Blade’s glass and took it off their hand, indifferent of their cries of protest. “I think you had more than enough.”

“Hey ! No I didn’t, there’s still wine in the bottle !” Alexei tried to reach for their drink, not that it were really efficient considering they were completely wasted.

“No. No there isn’t.”

Martin rose said bottle for them to see as he talk, and the Blade’s shoulder fell.

“Oh.”

“I think it’s time for all of us to go to sleep,” the ex-priest declared before groaning. “Ugh, I haven’t drank this much since my sanguinist days.”

The Blade tried to get up before suddenly let themselves fell back into his bed.

“The ground shake too much to walk...”

“Alexei, I love you, but I swear if you don’t get off my bed...”

“You’ll kiss me ?” they asked hopefully.

Lucien rolled his eyes and picked them up, bridal-style, headless once again to their protestations. The priest walked to his bed and flopped on it before saying :

“Not that I am not relieved to be able to avoid sleeping on the ground, what are you planning to do, carry them to bed ?”

The assassin opened his mouth to talk but before he could answer, the Blade had suddenly stood up in his arm and kissed him. He blinked, once, twice, not seeming to react besides his mouth hanging open in shock.

“Hmm, y’taste nice,” a shameless Alexei mumbled.

Lucien did not answer, still in shock, his only reaction being to turn toward a giggling Martin, amused by his helpless expression, his eyes begging for help.

“You have no idea how to handle affection, do you ?” he asked, malicious smile on his lips, before motioning him to come closer. Once he was near him, Martin pulled both him and the Blade, ignoring the assassin feeble noise of protest, and the three of them found themselves lying on his bed, Martin in the middle.

Alexei immediately grappled him while Lucien shifted a bit uncomfortably. The ex-priest rolled his eyes and moved a bit, pulling him closer. A few minutes passed in silence until the assassin whispered :

“… This feels nice.”

Martin chuckled.

“It does, doesn’t it ?” He stayed silent for a moment before adding : “My bed is a bit small, though.”

Lucien shrugged.

“It’s fine, even if I’m not use to sleep with other people.”

The priest hummed in agreement and a few minutes passed again before he said softly :

“The window’s still open, we are going to lose all the warmth.”

“We are keeping each others warm, besides do you feel like moving ?”

“Good point.” He threw a quick glance at his Blade, already sleeping. “Alexei would not let me anyway.”

The assassin laughed quietly at this. He himself felt not very far from dozing off too. Just before he succumbed to sleep, he murmured :

“… I hope no one sees us like this.”

“I don’t see why anyone would go inside my room in the middle of the night,” replied Martin, biting off a yawn. “Goodnight Lucien.”

“Goodnight, your Eminence.”

The future ex-priest huffed in annoyance but fell asleep before he could complain.

Outside of the room, Baurus was gesturing wildly at his fellow Blade gesturing back at him, both of them supposedly guarding the Imperial Heir, eyes wide open and doing their best to stay silent despite their shock toward the revelation that the nights of their Emperor were not quite as lonely as they thought.

 

 

A week passed, then two, then three, and it soon became evident that what the three of them had was getting serious. Only a few of the Blades knew about them at this point and they all agreed that they needed to decide what to do, so one night, while their Grandmaster was sleeping and their Emperor and his companions doing… something else, a small party of Blades met in the court to talk and decide what to do.

“So...” began Baurus, “Martin and Alexei...”

“And that ‘Lucien Lachance’, whoever he is,” added someone else, one of the older Blades of their little group.

“A thief, considering how easily he comes and go in here,” said another one, frowning.

“Or an assassin,” remarked a fourth Blade. An uneasy silence floated between them all for a moment before Baurus spoke once again :

“Whatever his ‘profession’ is, the fact is that he is sleeping with our Emperor and the Hero of Kvatch...”

“Among other things,” said the third Blade, snickering.

“MY POINT IS !” exclaimed Baurus, getting a bit exasperated, “That we need to decide what to do with this situation.”

“Why are we even discussing at all ? This ‘Lucien Lachance’ does not seem like a good person at all.” asked the older Blade.

“Because,” answered the fourth one, “despite their nocturnal… activities, this is the most sleep both Martin and Alexei had since Kvatch.”

“And they seem to be happier in general since they began seeing each others,” added another. “We all know how trapped Martin felt when he first came here.”

The others mumbled their approbation, although it was a bit reluctantly for some of them.

“Still,” insisted the old Blade, “I doubt Jauffre will approve.”

“Does he have to know though ?” asked Baurus. Everyone turned to him.

“What do you mean ?” interrogated the third Blade.

“Well, we all know Jauffre will throw a fit if he learn about Martin and Alexei, let alone Lachance.” Everyone nodded in agreement. “But if he do, we’re taking the risk of having both of them shut down from us, plus whatever Lachance would do as revenge. On the other hand, if we let them be, we not only win two happy Emperor and Hero of Kvatch but also a potential ally in Lucien.”

“I am not sure I want him as ally, considering his… activities, whatever they are,” interfered the old Blade.

“Oh, as if any of us never did something shady,” replied another, rolling their eyes.

“Maybe, but it was for the greater good,” protested the old Blade.

“The Thieves’ Guild is known for defending the poor,” remarked one of the younger Blade.

“And what if he is Dark Brotherhood ?” Silence fell at those words, silence who was broken once more by Baurus :

“Alexei trust him.”

“You mean the felon convicted for murder ?” snorted someone else. “Sure is a valuable source of trustworthiness !”

“And what about the priest of Akatosh ?” replied another, getting rather irritated. “Is Martin trustworthy enough for you or must Mara physically manifest to give her approbation ?”

“Alexei is a Blade too, and the Hero of Kvatch,” added Baurus. “Maybe you should treat them a little better.”

The Blade shrugged, unrepentant.

“Still won’t change what they done. Besides, anyone jumping willingly in the Deadlands must be completely mad.”

“Considering what they’ve been through, I’ll be worried if they weren’t...” replied Baurus, looking suddenly grim.

That did shut up the old Blade, who shifted uncomfortably. He was still healing a deep wound inflicted by one of the Mythic Dawn assassin while defending one of the son of the Emperor and still felt guilty over his failure to protect either of them.

“So,” began one of the younger Blade, “what do we do about Alexei, Martin and the other ?”

“We stop our Grandmaster from learning about them.” announced Baurus, his voice filled with determination.

“And if he learn it anyway ?”

“We deny knowing anything about it.”

The old Blade groaned, visibly not pleased about it but not completely opposed to it anymore.

“This is going to come back bite us in the arse, isn’t it ?”

“Most likely, but this for the greater good.” answered another Blade, before smiling mischievously. “Besides… They are kinda cute together.”

Some shook their heads in disbelief while other were visibly trying not to burst out laughing. Baurus was for himself simply smirking, content with himself, although he was fairly the next days were going to be… interesting.


End file.
